[JP] LtCmdr Aitas & PNPC Jakarn - Outfoxed (NT)
Lieutenant Taelon
((Aitas’ home, Shi’kahr District, Starbase 118))
::She’d slept in again, then attempted to get dressed and quickly found herself adjusting parameters on the replicator. It still felt far too soon to be worrying about such things.
Then, it was time for breakfast. A cup of tea, and a stack of uttaberry pancakes covered with more crushed berries and the faintest dusting of sugar. She eyed Jakarn over the rim of her cup, leaned back in her chair and let out a small sigh.::
Aitas: So, about that companion….
Jakarn: Still interested?
Aitas: I doubt I could convince Flynn to get one, but after everything I’d appreciate the reassurance for myself.
Jakarn: Good, good. ::He sipped his own tea.:: Worried about security?
Aitas: ::she groaned slightly:: Of course there’s security. It’s much harder to ignore when I can feel how much of a watch they’re keeping on me. But I’ll admit that something else would be reassuring. Especially after-
::She’d been having nightmares again since they’d rescued Flynn and the others. The shadows under her eyes deepening.
With someone else she might have convinced herself that they’d not noticed this, but she couldn’t entertain such a delusion around Jakarn.::
Jakarn: Yes. ::He’d noticed; he knew her too well not to. But he didn’t pry.:: Of the two, I would recommend Fureri. She is a bit more decorative. Jiun is...well. ::He smiled.:: A bit more obvious.
::Fureri had been designed to resembled a highland fox, with large gilded ears and eyes; she was decorative, and was often mistaken for a statue until it moved. Jiun was much larger - a bodyguard rather than a sentry. There was a reason he’d left it on the yacht.::
Aitas: Agreed. Given the station, I’d prefer to not to be too obvious.
::Let alone that she wasn’t sure Jiun would fit everywhere that might be needed; Fureri would be far more able to follow a small and errant child.::
Jakarn: You would need a Connector, of course - I’m sure taelon would be happy to install one for you. He can copy mine, if need be.
Aitas: I planned on speaking to him next. I’m not quite sure how long it’ll take him to adapt it.
::The Vulcan brain was a peculiar thing, and she’d mostly inherited it.
She cut off a section of the pancakes, twirled it in the dusting of sugar, then swallowed before speaking again.::
Aitas: Have you changed Fureri’s weapons suite up much since I was around?
Jakarn: She’s not been updated to be entirely domestic, no; Taelon can remove her armaments, if you’d prefer.
Aitas: I’d like to keep some of it at least, but I’ll have to see what I can authorize. ::smiling:: They do tend to frown on weapons wandering around the station.
Jakarn: Mmm, yes. The Federation is a bit paradoxical about that, aren’t they.
Aitas: ::she set her fork down, the impact sending an uttabery rolling across the plate.:: I’m free the rest of the morning, if you’d like to go talk to Taelon about it? Given that I’ll have to get Doctor Ezo to sign off on it as well, it seems best to get started.
Jakarn: I’m up for that. Will we have to convince her?
Aitas: I expect she’ll appreciate a logical argument more than Taelon’s enthusiasm. You know how the Federation is about such things.
Jakarn: Backwards, yes. ::He said it simply.:: One of the few things I’ve gotten out of Taelon is a complaint about that.
Aitas: I wish I could say I was surprised, but I got the impression some of the crew found his excitement...disconcerting. I just hope this request won’t bring too much of that back.
::She looked down, frowning.::
Jakarn: Having a task would likely help. He tends to expect the worst, I think.
Aitas: ::concerned:: Even from you?
Jakarn: ::Jakarn smiled sadly.:: I’m not his mother, but expectations are hard to fix. Shall we?
Aitas: Of course.
((Taelon’s Office, about twenty minutes later))
::It wasn’t completely unusual for Aitas to stop by the Science Department, given how many projects they had ongoing with Intelligence. Jakarn’s presence drew a bit more attention, eyes often lingering on him with the vague sense of recognition his status as a celebrity prompted.
Aitas knocked on the CSO’s door, then called out softly.::
Aitas: Taelon? Would you have a moment.
::There was a pause, and then the intercom beeped to life.::
Taelon: Aitas? Y-yes, one moment...
::Aitas stepped inside, and gave Taelon a gentle smile.::
Aitas: I hope we’re not interrupting anything. I had a special project I was hoping for your assistance with.
::Taelon’s gaze shot uncertainly between the two of them, resting on Jakarn. His father smiled reassuringly.::
Jakarn: It’s nothing too serious.
Taelon: What do you need?
Aitas: It’s for Fureri. I’ll need a connector.
::Taelon blinked once, then twice.::
Taelon: F-fureri is Dad’s - are you giving her over?
Jakarn: ::He nodded.:: Normally I’d say we could simply transfer the connector, but given the different brains and all…
::Taelon looked down at his desk, but his initial confusion - and concern - evaporated as he considered the issue.::
Taelon: Yes, that’s true. We’ll need to do a complete brainscan, establish baselines…
Aitas: I’ll set aside as much time as you need; I’m told the Vulcan brain is rather peculiar.
Jakarn: Ezo is the chief doctor, yes? ::He looked between the two as he sat on the bay window’s couch, legs crossed at the ankle.:: She’s not so fond of this sort of thing, is she?
::Aitas nodded. It wasn’t an uncommon feeling to run into within the Federation.::
Taelon: I can handle all the stages of this sort of thing. ::He said it almost casually, as he was pulling up an array of holographic screens near his main work station.:: H-honestly, I’d prefer to. Doctor Ezo is extremely competent but, she’s, well, she’s not trained on cybernetic implants. Especially ours.
::Jakarn shot Aitas a look and a shrug. He wasn’t going to get involved in that debate.::
Aitas: I’d prefer to have her involved, but as you say she isn’t trained with these implants.
Taelon: I-I mean, to be fair, this is...it’s your brain. Implanting these incorrectly could have adverse effects in the long term as well as the short term. P-phrik didn’t let me be present when he installed the Major’s arm - ::There was an uncharacteristic tone of bitterness in Taelon’s voice, at that:: - but for this I need to be there.
Aitas: Phrik did what? ::She stared at Taelon wide-eyed from a moment before calming herself.:: And I won’t have this done without you there;
Jakarn: You’ve mentioned the good Doctor doesn’t like implants before. Is that still the case?
::Taelon just nodded.::
Aitas: In the general Federation sense, yes. I’ll speak to her about it. No need to put you through that. ::she gave Taelon a reassuring smile.::
Taelon: T-thank you.
Aitas: She’ll probably be a bit insistent about risks, given the pregnancy.
::A shrug, and then she looked over to Taelon. Better to tell him now that have a panicked Mirra bring it up.::
::Taelon’s brow creased; he and Jakarn exchanged a look.::
Jakarn: Risks? Implants shouldn’t cause an issue for a baby. As far as I know, anyway. ::He tilted his head on that last point, and shrugged.::
Aitas: True, but she doesn’t know that much about implants. I can’t fault her too much for concern on that account.
Taelon: Well, you c-can assure her we’d not going to do anything risky…? You won’t be put under for the installation, so...
::Aitas leaned against the desk, and rubbed a hand across her eyes. The shadows surrounding them weren’t quite as deep as they had been, but it’d be a lie to say they were gone.::
Aitas: How many scans do you think you’ll need?
Taelon: At least 3. An initial and one before and after the install.
Aitas: I’ll make sure you have my schedule so it can be arranged. And thank you so much. There’s no one else here I’d trust to do this.
::It wasn’t as if the Starbase was dripping with experts on El-Aurian cybernetics.::
::Taelon beamed at that, grinning for a half-second before he remembered himself and nodded. Jakarn reached over and patted Taelon on the head. The scientists jerked in surprise, then forced himself to relax.::
Taelon: T-thanks. I’ll need the unit itself, of course. To, um, to get familiar with it. C-come back in a day or two and we can discuss details?
Aitas: Of course. Just let me know when?
Taelon: Sure.
Aitas: If you think of anything else, Taelon, you can let me know over dinner. For now I believe I’m going to go back and rest...else Theo will start fussing at me again.
::She attempted an amused smile, though it came out as a bit more resigned.::
Jakarn: Seems you need less fussing and more fun. ::He wrapped an arm round her waist and smiled at Taelon.:: Won’t take up any more of your time, kiddo. Let me know if you want to talk, alright?
::Taelon nodded as they left. Jakarn raised an eyebrow at Aitas::
Jakarn: Dinner, hm? Don’t let that get too awkward…
Aitas: Don’t worry, I won’t let Theo into the Romulan Ale. ::she sighed.::
--------------------------
Lt. Commander Aitas
Chief Intelligence Officer
Starbase 118 Ops
O239307A10
&
Author / Celebrity
As played by
Chief Science Officer
Starbase 118 OPs
O239303T10